Media Information from The Hannah Research Institute

2 February 2007

Hannah lodges planning application

Following a voluntary pre-planning public consultation before Christmas, the Hannah Research Institute, Ayr has this week lodged an application for outline planning permission for the development of residential accommodation in the Institute’s main building and on adjoining ground.

The application covers in the region 60 residential units requiring conversion of the main Hannah building and refectory and extending northwards. A ‘courtyard’ development is proposed on ground previously occupied by redundant office, light industrial and agricultural buildings, with additional housing on the adjoining ground. Limited Class 4 office accommodation is also proposed close to the Institute’s main gate.

The pre-planning consultation sought comments and responses from neighbours and other local interest. The majority of comments received were highly supportive of the proposals, but the Hannah project team has also adjusted and modified its original proposal in the light of the very few concerns that were raised at this time.

Keith McKellar, Chief Executive, The Hannah Research Institute, says:

“We have listened closely to comments received through the pre-planning consultation process and have modified our original plans to take these into account including a more irregular layout for the housing and retention of open space.

“The Hannah has embarked on this course so that it can continue to fund agricultural research under the terms of John Hannah’s original bequest. With Scottish Executive funding withdrawn a year ago, and all the science formerly on the site now transferred to Scottish Universities, our plan is to release land and redundant buildings for housing once planning permission has been attained so that a trust fund can be set up as a source for enabling future research.”

Download letter to the residents of St. Quivox (Adobe Acrobat 16KB).

Further news about the development plans can be found on The Hannah website www.hannahresearch.org.uk

Further information from:
Keith McKellar
Chief Executive
Hannah Research Institute
Tel: 01292 477006
E: k.mckellar@hannah.ac.uk

Issued for The Hannah by:
Dick Playfair
Playfair Walker
Tel: 0131 445 5570
E: dick@playfairwalker.com

6 December 2006

Plans for new housing unveiled at The Hannah

Plans for 55 new homes have been unveiled at The Hannah Research Park, Ayr. As part of a pre-planning consultation exercise the proposals for the redevelopment on the Hannah site were available for the public to see today 6 December.

The 55 units will be made up of apartments in the Institute’s converted main building as well as proposals for Kirkhill, the development of Mount Hamilton House as a single dwelling, and the new build of a crescent of homes adjoining St Quivox to a sympathetic design. There is also a proposal for limited Class 4 space to be retained.

The redevelopment takes place to a significant extent on land which currently accommodates redundant and unsightly byres and farm buildings and which would be demolished to make way for the new housing.

The redevelopment proposals, which will be submitted as an outline planning application early next year, have become necessary as the Institute faces a future without core funding from the Scottish Executive but intends, under the terms of the bequest from John Hannah in the 1920s, to continue to fund research in Scotland’s agricultural sector.

With all science at the Institute now transferred to Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian Universities and the Rowett, the Hannah’s Governing Council has decided to explore sympathetic redevelopment of a small part of the site in order to generate funds to enable future research to be undertaken.

Keith McKellar, Chief Executive, The Hannah Research Institute, says:

“We have looked at a number of options for the site, one of which is clearly, with the withdrawal of central funding, to make our assets work harder for us. And one asset that the Institute has in abundance is land.

“This week we are presenting our proposals to our tenants on the Hannah site, to neighbours and to the wider public to give them early notice of our plans which we hope they will find in keeping both with the objectives of the Institute, and with its surroundings, and on which we would of course welcome comment.”

The Hannah’s new website also goes live from 6 December with more information about the Institute, its history and its future plans – visit www.hannahresearch.org.uk

Further information from:
Keith McKellar
Chief Executive
Hannah Research Institute
Tel: 01292 477006

Issued by:
Dick Playfair
Playfair Walker
Tel: 0131 445 5570

Note
The Hannah Research Institute was established in 1928 as one of a collection of Government funded but independent research institutes to promote the scientific development of agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The Institute’s initial remit was to undertake research on dairying, addressing specific problems associated with that industry.


10 November 2006

Hannah family member appointed to Institute Council

Mrs Dorothy Dawson has been appointed to the Council of the Hannah Research Institute, Ayr. From Mauchline, Ayrshire, Mrs Dawson is a grand daughter of John Hannah whose bequest enabled the Institute to be founded in 1928 as a research organisation to support the Scottish dairy industry.

Grant-in-aid funding of the Institute from the Scottish Executive was withdrawn earlier this year. Since that time research staff have been relocated to other institutions and a programme of asset management is now underway to ensure that The Hannah can continue to enable future research through the awarding of grants.

Mrs Dawson was nominated for the position by local MSP Phil Gallie, who felt it important that a family link should be maintained through this transitional period for the Institute.

Sir Muir Russell, Chairman of the Governing Council, The Hannah Research Institute, said:

“As Trustees, we are working to ensure that the Hannah can continue to support agricultural research, and it is good to have a member of the family involved during this important transitional period.”

Phil Gallie MSP, said:

“I welcome the inclusion of a direct descendent of John Hannah to the Institute Board. I recognise the interest of John Hannah's descendants in his legacy to Ayrshire and the massive benefits derived by several generations of students in the various fields of agriculture as well as considerable advances made in research at ‘The Hannah’ which has had wide effect. Their interest and those of the many beneficiaries will be well served by the addition of John Hannah's grand-daughter Dorothy Dawson to the Board at this time of transition.”

Dorothy Dawson’s appointment was ratified at a Council meeting on 10 November 2006.


2 June 2006

Major changes at The Hannah

The Hannah Research Institute, Ayr, which has had its funding from SEERAD withdrawn from this year, is to sell off its land-based assets after a programme of adding value to them. This announcement follows the moving of research activity which was based at The Hannah to Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian Universities and the Rowett Institute.

While a number of options had been explored for the Hannah, under the conditions of John Hannah’s original gift, any commercial enterprise, whether alone or as a joint venture, has had to be ruled out. The only remaining choice, that of managed disposal, is the route to be taken with the proceeds from assets sold being used to continue to support research.

Keith McKellar, Chief Executive of The Hannah, has already been in discussions with both Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, and with the economic development department of South Ayrshire Council, and with completion of a detailed feasibility study, it is clear that a definite market exists for the development of a hotel, golf course and limited housing development on the site.

Keith McKellar says:

“It is our objective now to gain planning consents for the site in order to maximise its appeal to potential developers. Funds generated from the assets sold will be invested in a professionally managed portfolio from which the gains will continue to fund research so keeping to the requirements of the original gift.

“It is our view, echoed by others, that the type and scale of development for which we will be seeking outline consent, will bring significant economic and employment benefit to the Ayrshire economy - potentially several times greater than that of the Institute.”

“The Hannah, in its 77 years existence as a research institute, has made a number of significant contributions in the fields of dairy and human health, and we are optimistic that the objective’s of John Hannah’s gift will be maintained, along with the heritage of the Institute and the Hannah name, with the adoption of this approach.”